


The Pheonix

by Sabsel98



Series: Catch me-verse [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: A bit of angst in the beginning, But this is mostly a feel-good fic, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:29:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28693251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sabsel98/pseuds/Sabsel98
Summary: Spoiler may have burned, but Flamebird will rise from her ashes.
Relationships: Stephanie Brown/Dick Grayson
Series: Catch me-verse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2091738
Kudos: 18





	The Pheonix

**Author's Note:**

> Yo, I wanted to post this last week, but my internet spazzed out (Again).  
> Oh, well, here it is.  
> Ages:  
> Steph: 17/18  
> Dick: 22/23

15 Days after The Night

Steph stared at the mirror in her hands. She didn't recognize the person, if you could even call it that, staring back at her. The only thing that was familiar in the, the _creature_ , were the eyes. They had the same cornflower-blue as hers. Cornflowers that were drowning. Tears ran over the creature's marred cheeks, being redirected by dips and welts on her skin. Snot began to drip from the creature's nose as her sobs became harder, the mucus bubbling from the flat slits that had become her nostrils and running over the red swollen flesh of her lips. The mouth was flapping open and closed with gasping cries, that shook the poor creature, the left side never quite closed, the entire cheek being open to reveal the row of her teeth. 

Steph knew, distantly, that the creature was her, but she couldn't quite accept it. The thing in the mirror was atrocious, it was a bald blob of shiny pink skin, like it had been made of wax and then left out in the sun for too long.

“It- it's not that bad, Steph.”, Dick tried, but that only made her cry harder.

“ _N-not that bad?_ It's terrible! Two-Face is prettier than me!”

And oh, her  _voice,_ it sounded like somebody had thrown nails in a mixer, she'd had a week to get used to it, and she still flinched whenever she heard the dry, choking rasp that came from her throat.

Her boyfriend sat on the bed, the doctor had left the room after unraveling the bandages, to give them some privacy.

Dick pulled her into a hug and she tucked her head under his chin.

There were parts of her that didn't even feel his touch, or only had dulled sensation, the nerves having died in the fire.

She wished she had died, too.

…

…

…

6 Weeks after The Night

Steph panted as she did her physical exercises. The physio-therapist was watching over her, directing her and, most of the time, reigning her in when she wanted to overdo it.

“Easy, Ms. Brown, you can't rush these things.”

Steph flopped back onto the ground, her skin tingling, it stretched and moved oddly now, and she had to get used to the difference in mobility, especially if she wanted to be out at night again.

“I have to get back to normal.”, she said to the dark haired woman.

“I know.”, she said, helping her up and hovering for a moment, until she had steadied her wobbly legs, “But injuring yourself because you did too much, too quickly, will set you back a lot. You have already made incredible progress. You're one of my most determined patients.”

She grinned, brightly, even if it was slightly lopsided.

“I am positively _burning_ with determination!”

The woman snorted, but rolled her eyes.

“You are also one of the more _creative_ when it comes to dealing with their ailment.”

…

…

…

2 Months after The Night

She knocked and then opened the door.

“Heya, Timmy! Hi, Dames!”

Damian waved at her and she sat herself at the foot of Tim's bed.

“Look! I've got stubble!”, she said and tilted her head, so Damian could see the uneven spread of blond hairs. The boy smiled and, after a moment of hesitation, lifted his hand with a questioning tilt of the head.

“Yeah, sure. You can touch.”

She leaned forward and allowed Damian to run his fingers over her scalp.

Steph then took Tim's hand, the one Damian wasn't holding, and ran it over the top of her head.

His hand jerked.

The first time Tim's hands had done a sudden movement, they had alerted the doctors, thinking that he may be waking up.

The doctor had informed them that movement like that was normal and that the patient wasn't really aware.

A few days later Tim had opened his eyes, but he wasn't really there. A vegetative state is what the doctor's called it. Tim had a sleep-wake cycle and would sometimes move his arms or legs, but he wasn't really awake.

They had still all been over the moon, because it was a good sign. A sign that maybe Tim would come back to them.

“I had my last physio today. I'll be out of this joint soon, but don't worry Timmy, I'll still come visit.”

Damian tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention.

//Will you be training to become Spoiler again?//, he signed.

She grinned.

“Actually, I'm not gonna be Spoiler anymore.”

Damian stared at her in surprise.

//What?//

“I'm planning on becoming Flamebird. Don't tell Dick. It's a surprise.”

Damian gave her a delighted smile, although there was something sad in it. There was something sad in all of Damian's expressions, now. It was the eyes. Damian's moss-green eyes were always drowning, even when there were no tears running down his cheeks.

//Will you be training with Father, then?//

“Yup, Jay and Roy also agreed to help. Bruce is also giving me the new costume.”

Damian reached out and took her hand, twining their fingers together. She gave them a gentle squeeze.

She knew better than to ask about Robin. Damian still flinched when one of the men of the family moved too quickly in his direction, he still had days where he couldn't bear to be touched, or even near anyone, there was no way he would be fighting anyone soon.

And, of course, Robin wouldn't fly without his Red.

…

…

…

6 Months after The Night

Steph managed to swipe Roy's legs from underneath him and quickly tapped the end of her staff against his throat, before he got up.

“That was good. I think you're almost ready.”, the archer said, taking the hand she offered him.

Steph grinned and ran a hand through her sweaty hair. It was long enough to form bouncy curls now. Dick loved tugging at them, to watch them spring back into place.

“Thanks, I can't wait to get out there again.”

“I can't wait to see Dick's stupid face when you walk up to him as Flamebird.”, Jason said, carrying Lian on his shoulders.

She bounced on the balls of her feet.

“I'm so excited! I hope he'll like it!”

Jason snorted, setting the little girl down so she could run over and bother her father.

“Are you kidding? He's gonna love it, he'll probably gush like an idiot.”

…

…

…

8 Months after The Night

Steph felt giddiness bubble in her stomach as she slipped into her new suit. It fit her like a glove. She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment. The young woman staring back at her was dressed in a black bodysuit with orange highlights, that hugged her figure. Black cloth covered her mouth and nose and her blond curls were hidden by an orange hood, the cape, that was attached to it flowed down her back. Cornflower-blue eyes were staring back at her, they blazed with an inner fire. The woman staring back at her was Flamebird.

Steph was ready.

She stepped out into the cave and snuck up behind Dick, who was talking to Bruce.

It was very odd to see the Batman try to hide a grin.

The others, minus Tim, were around somewhere too, but she didn't really pay attention to them.

Steph tapped her boyfriend on the shoulder.

Dick turned and for a moment just stared at her.

“Steph, uh, your costume's different...”

She grinned, the crinkling of her eyes the only indicator he could see.

“Yup. Do you like it?”

She did a little twirl, cape flaring around her.

“It's nice, but why orange? I thought purple was your favorite color?”

She tilted her head innocently.

“Oh, it is. I just thought orange would be more fitting for Flamebird.”

“Oh, well that makes sense- wait, _what?_ ”

She laughed at his flabbergasted expression, and she wasn't the only one, even Bruce was cracking up.

She wiped at her eyes and righted herself.

“I'd like to be the Flamebird to your Nightwing, if that's alright?”

A little bit of insecurity had snuck into the end of her sentence. She wasn't overstepping a boundary was she?

“Is that alri-, of course it's alright!”, he had scooped her up into his arms, swinging her from side to side happily, “You clever, beautiful, wonderful woman! This is _perfect!_ ”

“I told you he would gush!”, Jason called over.

She laughed, not caring that it sounded like nails on a chalkboard instead of the silver bell it used to be.

She may not be the prettiest anymore, but she was still Stephanie Crystal Brown and nothing, not even gasoline and fire, could break her.


End file.
